Elderflower Trees

[Marmora Man]

Having, last year, tasted my German sister-in-law's delicious Elderflower cordial I resolved to make some this year. Served with cold Presecco it makes a good "Bellini" lite.

The trees should be in flower shortly (mid May - June) - but where can I find some around South London? If I do find some - can I harvest a couple of bucket load of flowers??

I did wonder whether the Norwood Cemetery might be a good place to try??

For those interested the recipe is:

40 fresh elder flower heads.

2 oranges, rough sliced

2 lemons, also rough sliced

2oz citric acid.

3 pints boiling water

3lb granulated sugar,

Instructions:

Boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. Allow it to cool properly.

Add the orange and lemon slices to the cool sugar water.

Stir in and make sure the citric acid is dissolved.

Add the elder flower heads.

Cover it up with a lid or cloth and leave it for 48-72 hours.

Strain and leave for another 48 hours.

Siphon into another tub, leaving the dregs behind.

Stir well and then leave for 3-4 hours to settle.

Bottle, leaving behind any more dregs.

[womanofdulwich]

thats my recipe! I'm not goign to tell you where I go, but around the side of sports fields is a good place.;-)

[Marmora Man]

womanofdulwich Wrote:

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> thats my recipe! I'm not goign to tell you where I

> go, but around the side of sports fields is a good

> place.;-)

Are you my sister in law?

[Laddy Muck]

The little park opposite Sainsburys has around a dozen Elderflower trees. Try and pick from those in the sun though (better aroma/flavour). Enjoy.

[Laddy Muck]

PS: MM, why the citric acid in your recipe? I've been making the stuff for years without it.

Cheers.

[Marmora Man]

Laddy Muck Wrote:

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> PS: MM, why the citric acid in your recipe? I've

> been making the stuff for years without it.

>

> Cheers.

Not sure - just the recipe I was given. Think it's something about it keeping longer?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

South east part of PRPark has good quantity of elders.

[The Minkey]

Best pick them as far from a busy road as possible.

[Peckhampam]

If you go to a small pharmacy rather than Sainsbury's, be prepared to defend your wish to buy citric acid. Apparenently it is used in the manufacture of heroin and they can give you the once over. Obviously I passed.

[mlteenie]

There are some in the woods. Picked the berries last year.

[The Minkey]

It's not strictly speaking used in the manufacture of heroin, it's used to prepare heroin for injecting. Injecting the equivalent of lemon juice would surely hurt? Or perhaps it neutralises when cooked up with the heroin. Hmmm - one of life's mysteries I'm happy to leave in its box.

[womanofdulwich]

go to the lovely roger humbles fourways pharmacy in half moon lane, he usually asks me about now, "shall i order your citric acid in for elderflower cordail??" or you can have tartaric acid instead.

(tu)

[katie1997]

Tried this recipe for elderflower cordial today, thank you for posting it* Marmora Man.

No pharmacy I tried in ED had any stocks of citric acid - although SMBS did.

* (there was a programme on the radio the other day that said in the 'future' we won't simply google for info but instead will be pointed to bits of the web from personal recommendations based on our online networks and activity)

[StraferJack]

You don't really need to wait for the future - That's pretty much how twitter works for a lot of people Katie (rather than the "reading celebs what-i-had-for-breakfast" stereotype

[womanofdulwich]

of course you can always look it up in a book if you are over a certain age...

[katie1997]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> You don't really need to wait for the future -

> That's pretty much how twitter works for a lot of

> people Katie (rather than the "reading celebs

> what-i-had-for-breakfast" stereotype

Aha thanks strafer! Tbh I didn't really get the point of twitter, joined it a few years ago 'tweeted' once, forgot about it. Checked my account about a month ago to discover I had 8 'followers'!? WTF are they following?! I suppose I could now tweet about the elderflower cordial...

[StraferJack]

Hehe ? I?d read that!

I know what you mean ? there are plenty of things to pick up on and it?s confusing. But don?t think you have to say anything just because you?ve joined. Just be sure to follow some interesting people in whatever you might be interested in (be it politics, arts whatever) ? unfollow the uninteresting ones after a week or so but by then you will have stumbled acrosss many other links and people. And then if you want to contribute you can. But it does consitute most of my news channels now (rather than single newspaper or worse, TV news)

[legalbeagle]

I tweet! But not about elderflowers, it has to be said. Though now you mention it........

The citric acid or whatever is definitely for preservation, otherwise it doesn't last very long so better made in small batches. And the best bunches of flowers to pick are ones where some of the flowers aren't quite open yet. Don't know why, but again better flaviour etc.

[Loz]

Laddy Muck Wrote:

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> The little park opposite Sainsburys has around a

> dozen Elderflower trees. Try and pick from those

> in the sun though (better aroma/flavour). Enjoy.

You mean DKH park? Where? Or have you stripped them bare?!

[david_carnell]

Are these still in flower? I've just had some home-brew equipment delivered....

[Annette Curtain]

david_carnell Wrote:

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> Are these still in flower? I've just had some

> home-brew equipment delivered....

You may if you're lucky find some.

( i've just looked out of the bay "chez nette" and seen some )

But I'd wait for the berries, add some blackcurrants & you could get a close to Merlot as a country wine can be.

I had a couple of bottles last week, It was utterly superb.

Nette(tu)

[Marmora Man]

I'd have thiought ED elderflowers are now past their best.

Interestingly I'm in North Tees today - and locally the elderflowers are just right - about a month later than ED.

Proves the old wives tale that "spring" travels at about 8 miles a day!

[david_carnell]

I shall have to do my best.

I've bought the buckets, demijohns etc and champagne yeast.

Anything else to make with it instead?

And a cheap place to obtain bottles suitable for champagne?

Thanks.

[Laddy Muck]

Loz Wrote:

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> You mean DKH park? Where? Or have you stripped

> them bare?!

Sorry Loz, just seen this.

I meant St. Francis Park. Whilst little flower remains, the berries are swelling nicely...for wine, jam, cough syrup etc....

DC: you are still in time for the berries.

[Laddy Muck]

david_carnell Wrote:

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> And a cheap place to obtain bottles suitable for

> champagne?

>

> Thanks.

I presume you are talking about Elderflower Champagne?

I don't have/use any special equipment for this at all. As for bottles, I use plastic. Not ideal, as they can burst readily - so if you are able to obtain glass, all the better (though they too may burst!). However, I now find that if I release little gas out of the bottles every other day, they no longer explode. I currently have EFC fermenting nicely in my shed. I started off with 100 litres, but, as I am drinking it as a very refreshing elderflower-ade, I reckon I'll only get about 50 litres which is properly alcoholic. The fizz is incredible though: need to open bottles very slowly if you don't want your kitchen (ceilings and walls included) to end up a sticky/wet mess!

Have fun!